


School Work and Work

by BuckysMyBoy



Series: Steve Rogers Can Be A Pain in the Ass [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Asthma, Asthmatic Steve Rogers, Developing Relationship, Disciplinary Spanking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Steve Rogers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Captain America: The First Avenger, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Relationship Discussions, Spanking, non sexual spanking, ruler spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-13 03:30:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19242916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuckysMyBoy/pseuds/BuckysMyBoy
Summary: Steve gets a job but he should be going to school, just like he made Bucky do last year.





	1. Money

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asthma attacks and Steve worries about money

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic isn't dead

Steve collapsed to the ground, curling in on himself and his legs pulling themselves in to protect himself as he fell. His boney knees cracked against the floor but he was too preoccupied to notice how much it hurt. One of his hands pulled at his shirt as if that would help him breath but his shirt felt too tight. Maybe it was his lungs that felt too tight but pulling at his shirt felt like it was help somewhat. The other was fisted into Bucky's shirt, trying to hold him close because everytime he had one of these attacks, it was terrifying. 

He could hear Bucky talking, feel his hand rubbing over his back as he continued to lean forward over his knees. He was coughing and trying to get his fucking lungs to work correctly.  He could hear Bucky talking, trying to coax Steve to breath in and out. Steve couldn't though, his chest felt tight and his lungs were closed off. Steve wasn't sure how long he was leaned forward and coughing, trying to breath before Bucky had both hands around his middle.

He tried to tell Bucky that he didn't want to get up yet, that he was fine where he had been but he couldn't because of the fucking flower shop they passed by. Steve's allergies had already been giving him problems, and he felt a little wheezy after they passed that group of guys smoking a few block back. He kept walking in pace with Bucky on their way back to the apartment anyways. They had gone out to get milk and didn't want it to get hot before they got back home.

Then they had passed the flower shop and it all went down hill. Steve got hit with that wave of scent from inside the shop and his lungs stopped working.

"Stand up straight, Steve, your only makin' it worse."

He just wheezed as Bucky threw one of Steve's arms over his shoulder, forcing the shorter to straighten up to reach or fall over again. Standing up did seem to help the air flow, just as it always did. Steve thanked god for Bucky, he probably would have been dead from an asthma attack a long time ago if Bucky didn't help him.

Bucky guided them away from the flower shop and the awful smell of it and back towards home.

Steve was ready to collapse again when he got inside. He was exhausted, so grateful when Bucky set him down in bed.

"Don't sleep yet." He said, leaving to the kitchen to grab Steve a glass of water.

"Why?" Steve said weakly after him.

"Don't act like this is a new routine. We're gonna wait until your breathing is back to as close to one hundred percent before you sleep." Bucky called from the kitchen.

Steve grumbled when he accepted the glass from Bucky but drank it all thankfully. He wanted a cup of coffee instead but they didn't have enough money for that anymore. The water worked.

Bucky slid next to Steve into the bed, holding a book in between the two of them. He could see Steve squinting to see the text in the book, kid definitely needed glasses but there was no way to afford those. They hadn't even been able to afford to fill up his inhaler. Bucky felt bad for that one.

"I'm sorry I couldn't fill your inhaler after you used it last. It's just... work at the docks has been slow."

Steve shook his head, "No big deal."

"Steve -"

"I'm still breathing ain't I?" Steve said grabbing Bucky's hand and pressing it to his chest. True to his word, Steve's chest was rising and falling with irregular but normal breaths.

"Yeah."

"Then I'm fine."

"But -"

"An asthma attack isn't gonna take me out."

"You're so stubborn." Only reason he was still alive.

Steve just laughed and continued to hold Bucky's hand against his chest as he shut his eyes.

-

They weren't going to make rent this month. Steve could see Bucky digging though his pockets and looking through the couch cushions for pennies to put in the jar they kept on the counter for rent. They only had five dollars in the jar and the end of the month was close. A week and four days before rent was due. There was no extra money for food other than what they had.

Steve started to sell some sketches to businesses for advertisement but they only brought in so much. Bucky didn't even know about that.

"Where did this come from?" Bucky asked when he was the jar. Three dollars and some coins had been added.

"I draw a few ads for the flower shop and the grocery store down the street."

"And they gave you three dollars?"

"Fifty cents for each. I drew six ads, three for both places."

"Oh."

"You don't have -"

"We have to eat, Bucky."

"We have dinner every night."

"I have dinner every night. You give yours to me. We, Bucky, both of us need to eat."

"I do eat."

"I eat more than you after you go work all day."

"I'm eating plenty."

"Okay, than trade portions with me."

"Huh?"

"I'll eat what you usually eat and you eat what I usually eat."

Bucky blinked at him, "I'm not going to argue with you."

Steve narrowed his eyes. "I'm drawing two more ads for the grocery store and one for the bar a few blocks away."

Bucky nodded, his face blushing red.

-

Steve got a job at the grocery store. From eight to three. He's been trying to get a job for weeks, and finally he landed one at the store. They paid him under the counter because they could technically get in trouble for having a kid working. Barely seventeen.

He slipped coins into the jar everyday hoping Bukcy wouldn't notice the extra money and question where it was from. Steve wasn't making  _that_ much from drawing advertisements anymore. Twenty five to fifty cents a week now. Now he made enough to help them make ends meets.

He got home at three thirty after a slow walk home. He slipped his day's pay into the jar and sat down on the couch to start drawing an ad for the coffee shop. He flinched when the door opened and slammed.

"Bucky?" He said cautiously, peeking his head into the kitchen. Sure enough a pissed off Bucky was in there struggling to rip his shoes off and throw them by the door.

"You're supposed to be at school." Bucky pointed out, as he threw his other shoe in the direction of the door. "What are you doin' home fifteen minutes early?"

"Uh.. let out early?"

_"Um, um."_

"I hate you,"

"You too. Now answer."

"You're early too."

Bucky's cheeks had a light flush on them that told Steve that was the wrong thing to say. "Work was slow, I got sent home without pay - if you're that interested -"

"Bucky -"

"- Now answer the question. Why are you home?"

Steve got this guilty look on his face, "Well, you see.." that's how Bucky knew Steve's answer was going to be either be that he did something extremely dumb or he did something Bucky wouldn't like. "the grocery store really enjoyed my sketches and they offered me a job. They didn't legally hire me or anything because I'm in school and working full days but -"

"I'm only gonna tell you once to quit." Bucky told him, sitting down on the couch, "You have school to worry about before you get a job."

"But why can't I -"

"We've already had this conversation, I am not in the mood."

Steve remembered, _"Oh hell no, you wouldn't let me drop out of school and you have only two years left. No way you are dropping out, you're going to finish just like I was forced to."_

"You didn't want to finish school," Steve ignored.

"But I did finish. You made me. 'Oh schools important, Buck. You're almost done anyways. Why not just finish?'."

"That was when we had food for dinner and we still lived with our parents. Now we live by ourselves on one income."

"And you're under age," Bucky said, scary calm. Like he did when he knew there was no point in arguing because no matter what he was going to win. "If people figure out they're gonna talk and we're gonna get in trouble."

"Bucky.." Steve scooted closer to where Bucky was sat on the couch, all of a sudden wanting to be close. "I'm sorry but hear me out?"

"You're gonna finish school."

"Why? There are two of us and we can't keep living on just your income. It isn't enough."

"Yes it is."

"We barely made rent," Steve said, "Don't think I didn't hear that conversation with the landlord."

"We still have a roof over our head, right?" Bucky snapped back immediately.

"Yeah I guess but -"

"Graduation rates are dropping, if you finish school it might help you get a job."

"You implying that I can't get one because I'm small?"

"When did I say that? When?"

"It always leads back to that. Everyone thinks I'm too sick to do anything."

"Have I ever said that?"

"Just last week you -"

"You had a cold. You were actually sick. Don't be dumb, you know what I mean. I never call you too sick to do anything unless you actually are sick."

"You probably think it."

Okay, so he was trying to get a rise out of Bucky. So what?

"Steve, c'mon, stop that."

"Stop what. Callin' you out?"

"You are being ridiculous right now." Bucky shook his head and stood up, Steve did _not_ try to hold onto his arm to keep contact with him.

"I don't know what your problem is right now," Bucky said, grabbing Steve's face with his hand, "but I want you to think real hard about what you're gonna do tomorrow. Either you're goin' to go back to school or you're goin' to go back to work. One will get you in trouble."

Steve set his jaw hard, despite Bucky's hand holding it hard, "I'm going to work."

"See where you end up then."  There was a challenge in Bucky's eyes.

"Huh?"

"Trouble."

"Like..."

"I'll put you right over my knee."

"Why? Cause you think I'm just small like a kid and -"

"Steve, stop actin' dumb. You know that I don't think that."

Steve puffed his lips out in a pout and Bucky let go of his face and went to go find somewhere else to sit so Steve could really think.


	2. Lucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve panicked a but when Bucky said that he was going to be getting a spanking for going to work. Steve wonders if punishment is actually because Bucky knows something was wrong with him and the way he was acting or if Bucky was just angry with him. Bucky sorts it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lemme just say that updates are gonna get even more inconsistent when school starts in a few days

Bucky wasn't surprised that Steve went to work instead of school.

"Got any homework today?" Bucky asked, sitting next to Steve.

"Uh.. no. I finished it."

"When?"

Steve shifted and avoided eye contact with Bucky, "When I got home."

"Really? You always need me to bother you to do your homework? So what's different today, just came home and felt like doin' it?"

"You were already mad with me, so I did it before you had to tell me to."

"Extremely irritated, not mad."

"Oh. So much better." Steve muttered, going back to drawing.

"So, what did you have homework for?" Bucky asked after a few minutes of silence. Steve's face turned bright red and he had known from the beginning that he had been caught. He'd gone to work instead of school today. And Bucky knew. Just wanted him to admit it.

"Uh, math."

"Oh, want me to check over your work?"

"Nah, it's alright." Steve said staring hard at his sketchbook.

"No, I think you should go get it. I wanna see."

"No, I think it's okay Buck -"

"Go get it."

Steve only nodded and slowly got up.

As he walked out of the room, Bucky called to him as an afterthought, "Oh bring me your ruler too, so I can check your work, ya' know?" Steve's stomach dropped even though he knew what was coming.

"I don't think you'll need a ruler, it's just equations."

"I think so." Bucky told him in that stern voice that always made Steve's stomach drop.

-

Steve considered tearing apart the room and looking for an old math paper to give Bucky. He didn't think that would work because Bucky always seemed to be able to see right through him. He wondered if he was ever going to get away with anything again. He knew Bucky was mad with him, Bucky had told him that he needed to finish school just like Steve had insisted that the other do, not even a year ago. Finishing school had really helped Bucky get a job, especially since most people didn't finish. His boss said it made him seem like he wasn't a quitter. Bucky had been lucky.

Bucky's job was long hard hours at the docks and coming home tired. Steve had been done sitting there and not even helping. He knew Bucky worked extra hours, went in early and came home late to make rent and put food on the table. 

Steve frowned with confusion and anger and so many other things because how could Bucky know that he was feeling... feeling like he needed to help? The two other times Bucky had taken him over his knee, Steve had been guilty and sad and defiant and a danger to himself. This time he was only being defiant. Defiant and tired of not helping. But how did Bucky know? Steve wonders if he was just going to punish because he didn't do what Bucky said. They don't really have any rules for this so Steve supposes Bucky can do whatever he wants. It was a scary exchange of power if he thinks about it in terms like that.

He knows that Bucky could get mad and just spank him without much of a reason. No matter how much he doesn't want to admit it, it wouldn't be hard to overpower him. Steve really wonders if now if is one of those times. He lets out a shaky breath before he has an asthma attack from holding his breath in for so long. Then he would have to use the inhaler that bucky _paid_ to fill instead of buying himself dinner. That would surely make Bucky angrier. 

He felt his stomach twist and his hand shake when he reached for the ruler on the small desk in his and Bucky's room. He already wanted to cry, Bucky was mad and it was going to hurt and Bucky would still be mad at him afterwards. He had that feeling that this would turn out bad. 

He gripped the ruler in his hand so tight that the edges of it left marks on his palm. At first he had been okay with going over Bucky's knee, he's been ready since yesterday. Now he was terrified. Now he just wanted to curl himself around Bucky and hide forever, but that was dumb because Bucky was mad at him.

He still went out to the living room where Bucky was sitting and reading. And shit, shit, shit, that couldn't be good. If Bucky was so mad with him that he was calm -

"Steve," he said, making Steve jump, "where's your homework?"

He wanted to lie, get out of this. That would just make Bucky more mad with him but it had a chance of working.

"I left it at school."

"You left it at school or you didn't go to school?"

Steve made this sound in the back of his throat, flinched and stepped away from Bucky. "I, um, I just left it at school..."

"I thought you did it before I got back." Bucky said with false confusion, and he _knew_ and Steve was so screwed.

Steve didn't say a word. He was already deep enough in the hole he dug himself. He could feel his eyes tear up and he shook his head, hair hanging in his eyes when he tilted his head down. He took another step back and clutched the ruler tighter in his hand.

"Not a good idea to lie," Bucky said, his expression softening. "You okay?"

Steve nodded way too quickly, and shoved the ruler into Bucky's hand - who dropped his book into his lap, startled, to grab it - and took more steps back. Bucky frowned up at him, "Hey, I asked if you were okay."

"Yes, just - just -" Steve made an obscure gesture with his hands to the ruler he had shoved at Bucky. His heart was pounding in his throat and we was going to drive himself to an asthma attack if he didn't calm down but how could he could he calm down when Bucky -

was standing up, closing his book properly and was setting it to the side along with the ruler.

"Breathe, Steve, c'mon you're okay." Bucky said when Steve collapsed into the embrace he offered. "What's wrong?" Bucky asked softly.

"Nothin'."

"You're heart's about to beat out of your chest. Tell me." Bucky's fingers were running up and down his back.

"Are you mad at me?" He muttered into Bucky's shoulder.

Bucky shook his head, "No, not for getting a job. I'm not happy with you though."

Steve nodded, "But... I..." He breathed a soft sigh but didn't say anything more.

"What's got you so worked up and jumpy?"

"Just nervous."

"About what?"

He hesitated before he asked. "Are you... mad? Like _really_ mad?"

"About you getting a job?"

"About me not listening to you."

"If I was mad I'd be yellin'. I'm irritated you quit school to get a job but it's only part of the reason why I'm gonna punish you."

"Then why?"

"You're feeling guilty. I can tell."

"How?" Steve demanded, pulling back from the hug and looking Bucky up and down. "I don't feel guilty, you can't read my mind."

"That right there is one reason."

"Whadda you mean?" Steve frowned, feeling vulnerable and crossing his arms to try and protect himself from Bucky's knowing gaze.

"You're bein' real defensive." Bucky said softly, "And ya' haven't looked me in the eyes for days."

"I - I - Buck..."

"You didn't even realize you were doing it, huh?"

"Not... not really."

"What are you guilty about."

"I don't know... nothin' really."

"It's got something to do with money?" Bucky asked because that was the only other reason he could think of. 

"No." Steve said all too quickly, trying his best to make eye contact with the taller because if the earlier comment. 

"And there's that. I know you're guilty when you lie like that."

"Lie like what?" Steve stood up a bit straighter.

"Well, like that."

"I'm not." He sputtered and yeah, he doesn't even have to wonder why Bucky could see right through him. He was the worst at lying. 

"Mm," was all Bucky hummed before he grabbed Steve back into a hug. "I want honesty now. What's wrong?" 

Steve thanked god that Bucky seemed to be able to figure out that something was wrong. And that proved that he wasn't really a mind reader, but that he knew Steve well enough to tell. Steve wondered how he did it so well.

"I, uh, I was really just nervous that you were mad. That you were just going to... hurt me for no reason." 

"Maybe we need 'a have a conversation then?" 

"Maybe." Steve shifted in Bucky's hold, bringing his arms around the older now too. "I trust you though." 

"Really? 'Cause you were just freaking out." 

"I'm okay now." 

"What about next time? What if I can't tell something is wrong?" 

"I..." 

"Sit down. I can make this talk quick." 

"I don't think we need to."

"I wasn't asking." 

-

Steve was trying to hide his face throughout the whole talk. Whenever Bucky would ask or say something his hands would go to his face or he would try to face plant himself into Bucky's arm. Everytime he tried to do that, Bucky would either tell him not to or physically have to move him so he couldn't hide his face. 

"I've never seen you so red and squirmy over something," Bucky laughed and poked at Steve's face. 

"Don't laugh." 

"It's funny." 

Bucky asked a lot of questions, addressed mostly one thing though: when he should actually stop. He was really concerned about that issue, he understood that Steve wasn't really going to want or enjoy spankings. He knew that Steve could be begging to stop at a point but Bucky also knew that if Steve really deserved a spanking that he shouldn't stop. 

"I'll just tell you next time if I'm really not okay." 

"You didn't this time though." 

"I was embarrassed." Steve shifted and pointedly turned his head away from Bucky.

"Wouldn't you rather be embarrassed than hurt?" 

"...Yes." 

"Look at me." He was grabbing Steve's chin and holding their faces close, and Steve felt like he had no control over whatever Bucky decided next. "You have to promise to tell me next time, I can't read your mind, Steve." 

"Yeah, of course." 

"If you aren't at anytime I need you to say 'I'm not okay with this', in those explicit, specific words. Got me?" 

"I'm not okay with this," Steve repeated, looking at Bucky for approval. When the older nodded Steve spoke again. "Yeah, I got you." 

"Good, 'cause I'm not gonna ask if it's okay unless I know somethin' is wrong." 

Steve blinked a few times and Bucky gripped his chin harder. He almost liked it better that way. He didn't want Bucky to ask him if he needed punishment, he would just say no. He realized that he sometimes needed Bucky to just take control of the situation. It was a weird feeling that rushed over him but he leaned into the hand holding his chin. If he deserved punishment, Bucky would take care of it. 

"So, are we feeling okay now?" 

"Yes." 

"Good," Bucky let go of his face and let them fall back to lean into the couch. If Steve was sitting closer, letting their shoulders touch now, Bucky didn't say anything. "I have another question."

Steve just hummed, asking what it was.

"Why did you get a job?" 

Steve's whole world stopped. Of course Bucky was still caught up on that. 

"Money," He defended all to quickly. 

"What did we just talk about?" 

"Uh... how to make sure I'm okay?" Steve said because the wrong answer seemed better than no answer. 

"Yes, also honesty." 

"That too." 

"Then why did you just lie?" 

"It wasn't a lie." 

"It wasn't the whole truth." 

"It _was_ , one job income isn't cuttin' it for two people." 

"Okay why else did you get the job?" 

"That's _it."_ Steve insisted _._

Bucky had Steve's face in his hands again, he was looking hard for something and Steve did his best not to look at him. 

"Stand up." 

Steve did so without word, could tell that now was not the time to argue or question. 

"Unbutton them." 

"Why?" He asked, going back in his previous thought. 

"Because I said so." 

He hesitated, glancing down and then back up at Bucky. 

"Now would be the time to tell me you if aren't okay." It was a question and a warning in itself, even though it wasn't said as either. 

Steve stayed quiet. After a few beats of silence, Bucky had his fingers in Steve's belt loops and that's all it took for him to pull the smaller towards where he was sitting on the couch. 

Bucky made easy work of undoing the button on Steve's pants and yanking those down along with his underwear. The embarrassment from his exposure was short lived because Bucky also was quick to pull him over his lap. 

"Buck, c'mon I -"

"Shut up." 

"Sorry." 

He felt Bucky leaning over to the coffee table where Steve could remember him setting his book, along with the ruler, down. 

Steve felt his heart leap into his throat, even though he had known this was coming since yesterday.

"Bucky p -" He tried, only to be cut off with a surprised breath when the ruler made contact with his ass. 

"Didn't I already tell you to be quiet once?" 

"Y- yeah, I'm sorry." 

"Then why aren't you being quiet?" 

Steve just shrugged, a bit awkward from how he was lying but it still got the message across. 

Bucky only smacked him four more times for the out of turn talking. It still got him squirming, the ruler was different than the hair brush or the belt. It felt a lot like the brush but less firm, however there was still that bite from the ruler that the rounded edges of the brush didn't leave. 

"Why did you go to work?" 

"Typically when people go to work it's to make money." To be fair, he had known sarcasm wasn't the best idea right now. He thinks the extra ten hits were pretty much asked for. 

"I didn't ask why other people go to work, I asked why _you_ went to work." 

"To make money, that's it. I already told you." 

Steve shifted a bit when he felt the ruler press to the back of his thighs, just a threat for now. Although, Steve had no doubt that more hits were coming very soon. "That's not the only reason." 

"It is, I don't know how many times I gotta tell ya'." 

Bucky just sighed, sounding tired. Steve dreaded the feeling of the ruler lifting off his bottom because that meant it was about to land again with a lot more force than it was placed with the first time. 

"Buc -" He tried to reason with the older before the hit land but it cut off into a yelp. 

Bucky added twenty-two more on top of the fifteen from earlier. Thirty-seven in total and it barely felt over. 

At twenty - including the first ones that were still sting from earlier - his arm unintentionally reach back, actually managing to cover his bottom in between hits. Bucky hadn't slowed, just let the ruler wack down on Steve's fingers. Steve only made it two hits before his hand was jerking away. His fist clenching in time with his now throbbing fingers. Bucky momentarily stopped, guiding Steves arm by his wrist to rest on his lower back. "So it doesn't have to happen again," Bucky had almost whispered. Instead of holding his wrist to keep his arm pinned, Bucky held his hand, his thumb gently sweeping over where the ruler had made contact with Steve's fingers.

He had resumed the hits pretty quickly, not wanting to give Steve the false impression of being done. His pause was only brief, to see if Steve was ready to talk. He didn't and Bucky hadn't wasted any time. Hits feeling harder now, Steve only made it five more before his hand actually had to be held down and not just held.

At thirty-two, his feet were kicking higher with each hit. Bucky easily held both of Steve's legs in between his. It felt similar to the first time he had done it. With the hairbrush. The time with the belt, his legs had been already pinned so there was no chance at all to kick. However, with the brush, and now, he had a chance to kick. He felt the momentarily relief it brought. Now it was taken away and it had him squirming.

Tears came with a confession at thirty-six. "It was the money -" one more, making it thirty-seven, landed before he could get out the rest of his explanation, "- but I feel, uh... I... useless, I guess. Just sitting here and - and doing m… my math homework while you're out there working early mornin's and late nights." 

"Stevie, c'mon you ain't useless."

"All I do is sit around draw on my free time, you work. How am I not -"

"Those useless drawings of yours helped pay rent this month." 

"They didn't pay as much after a few weeks. That's why I got the job at the store." 

"You workin' for Mr. Lee, huh?" 

"Yeah." 

"I'm willin' to bet the only reason he gave a job to a minor trying to drop out of school is because he knows you. You ain't gonna get that lucky every time." 

"I know but I was this time." Steve whined when the ruler started again, only a few odd hits but they still hurt. Tears still hadn't stopped. 

"What about next time, huh? What if happens if you get fired or you have to quit. What if the store closes down? What if he just decides not to pay you cause you aren't legally an employee." 

"I'll figure it out then."

"No, I really wanna know, since you apparently have this all thought through."

"I- I don't - uh." Steve was at a loss and the ruler starting up again wasn't helping him come up with answers. It went on for a long time. Enough to make him cry out with every hit.

"What are you thinkin' Stevie? Only got a little bit a' school left and you're gonna just quit now? You ever quit at anything in your life?" 

Steve couldn't even manage an answer, he was busy trying not to choke on sobs. 

"What if someone figures out you're a minor and says something? Then we're both gonna get in trouble because you're supposed to be in an orphanage."

"I know, 'M sorry, alright?" 

"Mm, I bet you are. Hurts, huh?" 

Steve could only nod, tears falling freely down his face, onto Bucky's pants and the floor. "So we're gonna think next time before lying?"

"Yeah." 

"And disobeying?" 

"Yes but the money was -" Three more hits shut him up. 

"Would you stop worrying about money.. please? It... you... It doesn't need to be your responsibility yet." 

"Yes but -" 

"Think of it in long-term. You're gonna get a  better job by finishing than dropping out." 

Steve was quiet, pressing his face into Bucky's thigh. He could feel the tears soaking through the cheap, thin material. He squeezed Steve's hand, "You know the only reason I got the job at the docks was cause you made me finish." 

"I know." 

"So then you're gonna finish too, right? Or do you need more convincing?" 

The pressure Bucky added to where the ruler was placed against his backside was convincing enough. 

"I'll finish school," He assured quickly.

"Good," He said softly, lifting Steve into a hug. It was just that for a good fifteen minutes, just Bucky's hand running through his hair and their synced up breathing once Steve's tears finally calmed as they hugged. "You ain't useless, Stevie," Bucky whispered, sounding sad. 

"I won't be once I can start working."

"It's stupid to think that work is where your only worth lies." 

"It means I can pull weight." 

"Not if dropping out of school now causes problems later." 

"I guess." 

"You guess," Bucky mocked, smile playing at his lips and he gently placed a kiss to Steve's temple, knowing that Steve was blushing now. "You better now?" 

"Yes." He was already moving to pull his pants up, wincing softly at the brush if fabric. 

"Good, I need to ask you something then."  

"What?" 

"What time does Mr. Lee leave his store?" 

"Seven." 

"Good, get up and wash your face. We're gonna take a walk." 

Bucky had walked Steve right over to Mr. Lee's and made him quit. First he had made Steve explain himself to the man and explain why he needed to go back to school (minus the spanking, of course). Then, Mr. Lee had assured Steve that he could come back when he was done with school. Since he was Sara Rogers' kid and all. The two of them had talked a lot at church and made friends. After that Mr. Lee had proceeded to give Steve pay for work that day. 

Bucky walked home with his arm thrown around Steve's shoulders, laughing at how lucky the younger had got with the grocery    store job.

Bucky had also walked him to school the next morning, teasing him the whole time about not thinking too much about his sore bottom while he was sitting down all day. Needless to say, when he got home that evening, Steve was laying on his stomach across the couch and doing his homework. 


End file.
